7 Healthy Breakfasts You Can Make In 5 Mins

If your house is anything like mine, first thing in the morning is go-go-go. After hitting the snooze button one too many times and having to get two kids dressed, one of whom would much rather spend his life in pyjamas, it can be a bit of a mad rush at times.

So when I hear the phrase “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, it can at times bring a groan of frustration out of me.

But there’s no escaping the facts: kids who eat a healthy breakfast do better in school, are more focused, have better mental health and eat healthier throughout the rest of the day.

So, yeah, it’s pretty darn important.

I try to make sure we start our day off well, food-wise, but with minimal time available, I also have to make sure it’s quick and easy to make.

These are my go-tos for speedy breakfasts, the ones I know I can rustle up in a couple of minutes that will fill our bellies with healthy food to keep us going throughout the morning and start the day off as we mean to go on. Because high sugar cereals and fruit juice followed by white toast and jam mean our kids go out of the house already having had double the sugar they should be having all day. So make it easy to be healthy in your house with these ideas:

1. Porridge

It’s a classic for a reason. I have found very few cereals that don’t contain a load of sugar, and none are more filling, healthy and simple than porridge. Chuck some oats and water or milk in a pan or a microwave for a couple of minutes and you have a yummy healthy breakfast. What do you like to have on yours? We try to avoid overloading on added sugar first thing in the morning, so usually stick to fresh or frozen fruit, ground cinnamon (the proper stuff) and/or nut butters, and some nuts or seeds (I buy big packs to save money – this is my favourite mixed nuts one as they are equally generous with the pricier nuts!) if we have them on hand.

2. Eggs (with anything)

A breakfast classic, for good reason. Poached, fried, soft-boiled, hard-boiled, scrambled… however you like them, eggs are a nutritional powerhouse and set you up amazingly well for the day, especially if you pair them with a veggie like spinach or other leafy greens, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, asparagus, broccoli, sweet potato, beans, or basically anything! Add some nitrate-free grass fed bacon (I get some from my butchers and it’s only marginally more expensive than preservative-filled bacon from the supermarket and it is the tastiest bacon I’ve ever had in my life) or good-quality grass fed sausages for a more substantial treat.

3. Leftovers

A little controversial for some, but in many parts of the world, breakfast is just another savoury meal. People eat rice, salad, grains, veggies, even fermented foods for breakfast. So having some leftover stew, eating up some rice and beans, stuffing some taco meat or gyros meat with veg and dips into a pitta or wrap, or chucking the leftover roasted veg in a pan with a fried egg on top are all really great ways to have a quick healthy breakfast that will fill you up. Breakfast like a king, right?

4. Speedy blender pancakes or waffles

This may take a little more than 5 minutes with cooking time, but I find I can get a batch of my pumpkin spice waffles, or my green blender pancakes on the table in 10. Even my sourdough waffles only take a few minutes if you prep the night before! Load up with nut butter, Greek yogurt and fresh fruit for sugar free, nutrient-rich toppings. Add a little rice syrup or melted 85% dark chocolate drizzled over for a low fructose treat. Bonus points if you make a batch with some orange or green veg blended in!

5. A green smoothie

Blitz up a little whole fruit, a lot of veg, and some liquid, and you’ve got a decent start to the day! Adding some avocado for good fats and/or some oats for slow-release energy will help it be even more filling. Pair it with a protein like eggs or some wholegrain toast with nut butter for a more complete breakfast.

6. Wholegrain toast…

…with nut butter, mashed or sliced fruit, sugar free jam, Marmite (check labels to make sure it’s sugar free in your country) or savoury toppings like avocado, spinach, rocket, grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, smoked salmon, eggs, nitrate-free grass fed bacon, etc.

7. Yogurt…

…with fresh fruit, or try an overnight oats or chia pudding recipe that is low on added sugars like dates, syrups and honey.

And if you have a little time at the weekend to prep food, my favourite suggestion of all is:

8. Make-ahead breakfasts you can grab-and-go:

My favourites include quiche, frittata or Spanish tortilla, muffins (savoury or sweet), vegetable cakes or loaves, baked eggs (I make the sauce the night before then just heat and add the eggs in the morning), overnight oats or chia pudding, homemade low sugar granola, and so much more (have a browse of my breakfast recipes for more inspiration).